Driver assistance system for a utility vehicle with a trailer, and method for controlling a system of this kind

Abstract

The invention relates to a driver assistance system ( 16 ) for a utility vehicle ( 2 ) with a trailer ( 8 ), which system can be used to observe and/or monitor a space ( 14, 36 ) behind a driver's cab ( 6 ) and has the following: —at least one optical or acoustic sensor ( 18, 20, 22 ) which is arranged behind the driver's cab, —wherein, by means of this sensor, images and image sequences within a field of view of the sensor can be captured, —an image processing unit ( 24 ) which is electrically connected to the optical or acoustic sensor, —wherein, in the image processing unit, image processing software for image data analysis and image compression is stored, and wherein the image processing unit, by means of the captured images or image sequences, can detect objects and analyse their size, position and movement in relation to a vehicle-fixed coordinate system and can generate compressed object information therefrom, a first wired or wireless data connection ( 26 ), —an electronic control unit ( 28 ) which has a data input side and a data output side and is separate from the image processing unit, —wherein the electronic control unit is connected or can be connected on the data input side via the first data connection to the image processing unit in order to transfer the object information generated by the image processing unit, —a second wireless data connection ( 30 ), and—an electronic terminal ( 32 ) having a user interface ( 34 ) which is positioned outside the trailer, as well as other features.

1 . A driver assistance system for a utility vehicle with a trailer, which can be used to observe and/or monitor a space located behind a driver's cab of the utility vehicle, the system comprising:
 at least one optical or acoustic sensor arranged behind the driver's cab of the utility vehicle,
 wherein the at least one optical or acoustic sensor is configured to acquire images and image sequences within a field of view of the at least one optical or acoustic sensor; 
   an image processor which is electrically connected to the at least one optical or acoustic sensor,
 wherein image processing software for image data analysis and image compression is stored in the image processor, and 
 wherein the image processor is configured to detect objects by the acquired images or image sequences and analyze the acquired images or image sequences in terms of their size, position and movement in relation to a vehicle-fixed coordinate system and generate compressed object information from the acquired images or image sequences: 
   a first wired or wireless data connection;   an electronic controller which has a data input side and a data output side and is arranged separately from the image processor,
 wherein for transmitting the object information generated by the image processor, the electronic controller is connected or configured to be connected to the image processor on the data input side via the first data connection; 
   a second wireless data connection; and   an electronic terminal with an electronic graphical user interface, which is positioned outside the trailer,
 wherein the terminal is wirelessly connected or configured to be connected to the data output side of the electronic controller via the second data connection, and 
 wherein application software is configured to be installed on the terminal, by which the object information provided by the image processor and transferred to the terminal via the electronic controller is configured to be displayed on the user interface as a graphically reduced, spatial or planar geometric representation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The driver assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the driver assistance system is configured as a reversing assistance system and, when maneuvering the trailer, is configured to detect obstacles in a rear and/or lateral space of the trailer, and   at the least one optical or acoustic sensor is arranged at a rear of the trailer, which sensorially detects the rear and/or a lateral space of the trailer.   
     
     
         3 . The driver assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the driver assistance system is configured to be used as a load compartment monitoring system and to monitor a load compartment in the trailer, and   the at least one optical or acoustic sensor is arranged in the load compartment.   
     
     
         4 . The driver assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is arranged in a front area of the trailer. 
     
     
         5 . The driver assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical or acoustic sensor is selected from the group consisting of a single image camera, video camera, time of flight (TOF) camera, stereo camera, radar sensor, lidar sensor, and ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The driver assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an artificial light source, which illuminates the field of view of the at least one optical sensor during acquisition of the image or sequence of images. 
     
     
         7 . A method for controlling the driver assistance system for a trailer of a utility vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 images and/or image sequences of the space observed or monitored by the at least one optical or acoustic sensor are acquired by the at least one optical or acoustic sensor when the driver assistance system is activated,   by the images and/or image sequences, objects arranged in the observed or monitored space are detected by the image processor and analyzed with regard to their size and position in relation to a vehicle-fixed coordinate system,   compressed object information is generated from the analysis, the compressed object information containing the size, and position of each object taken into account by the image processor,   object information is transferred to the terminal by the electronic controller, and   object information transferred to the terminal is displayed on the graphical user interface by the application software as a graphically reduced, spatial or planar representation, and   the representation contains the detected objects as spatial geometric figures or as planar geometric figures, as well as their size, position and state of motion.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the spatial geometrical figures represented are cuboids, cylinders, pyramids, spheres or beams. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the planar geometrical figures represented are rectangles, triangles, circles, distance bars. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein activation of the driver assistance system is automatic, sensor-controlled, event-controlled or manual. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the driver assistance system is a reversing assistance system, which, when maneuvering the trailer, is configured to detect obstacles in a rear and/or a lateral space of the trailer,   the field of view of the at least one optical or acoustic sensor is divided into sub-areas of different priority, and   in each sub-area, a predetermined number of obstacle-relevant objects are taken into account.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 in the event of a possible rearward collision with an obstacle in a predicted travel path of the utility vehicle, a visual, acoustic and/or haptic collision warning is issued by the application software of the terminal, and   automatic emergency braking is initiated by a trailer braking system in order to avoid a collision.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the geometric figures and/or a frame and/or background of the user interface appearing on the graphical user interface of the terminal are displayed in different colors and/or in changing colors depending on the size, position and/or state of movement of the objects concerned and depending on a collision warning. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a grid or line pattern is displayed on the graphical user interface of the terminal, which is projected onto a displayed base. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a real background image is displayed on the graphical user interface of the terminal, into which the geometrical figures, which represent the detected objects, are projected. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a guard function is provided which monitors the data transmission and generates a warning message in the event of a significant interruption of the data transmission between the image processor and the electronic controller and/or between the electronic controller and the terminal. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the driver assistance system works as a load compartment monitoring system, wherein load occupancy, load shift and/or occupancy change is monitored and shown on the graphical user interface of the terminal. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the driver can set a perspective angle of the display on the graphical user interface of the terminal by the application software or can select and switch between a spatial and a planar display. 
     
     
         19 . A utility vehicle with a trailer, comprising the driver assistance system of  claim 1 .